Biography and art, auction, artworks, interview, statement, website:Maria PetschnigMy work explores the relationship between the body and clothing, drawing attention to questions concerning sexuality, identity, voyeurism and fantasy, all from a specifically feminist/post-feminist viewpoint. I intentionally play on prejudices and stereotypes, creating a constant shift between the sensual and the grotesque while tapping into a pool of endless roles, poses, and personae. All clothing carries a gendered message, as well as functioning as a social masquerade. In contrast, I choose to alter this dynamic, emphasizing the sculptural element of clothing as opposed to its function of signifying a second skin. Therefore, in my work, I strive to encourage a different, real, non-judgmental gaze, beyond the common generalizations and the objectified perceptions of the body. Disregarding gender conventions in a bold and sometimes disturbing manner, I use my own body, surrendering myself to the mercy of the public eye…

Maria PetschnigI was born 1977 in Klagenfurt, Austria, and moved to New York in 2003. I studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and at the Royal College of Art and the Wimbledon School of Art in London. My work has been shown at numerous solo and group shows and film festivals internationally…

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